I?
by chloe103
Summary: What should this slave put after "I"? Last time this slave checked, there is no "I" in slave.


March 28th. I wonder what kids who weren't like me did for their birthdays. They probably get a divine cake glossed with flawless white frosting decorated with colorful candles. Maybe they get an adorable whelp or prancing horse that they could ride for millions of acres. Anything they can dream of.  
Things here aren't horrible. To me it isn't, but it isn't what I dream of. I didn't wish to have no parents. I never wished to have to slide and snake through the backwoods to get water from a cloudy lake, which is 4 miles away. There is nothing I can change about the way I live.  
Konoha isn't an eyeful anymore. The dirt routes and alleyways were grimy and littered on, the vendors' food was bland except for one vendor I go to, and everyone is impoverished. Everyone. I am meeting my friends in North Konoha, where the buildings were slightly bigger and there were more vendors. South Konoha is a shantytown with houses made of metal and cardboard pieces.  
Despite Konoha's unsettling appearance,my friends and I decided to go out and get something to eat for my birthday. I entered the dark alleyway, which led to an open space surrounded by buildings and clothes lines. Kiba, Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, and Hinata were already here, conversing amongst themselves. Naruto's beautiful blue orbs tossed itself towards me.  
"Sakura, happy birthday!" Naruto said with a merry grin.  
"I see you're wearing something special, too." Kiba said with a hesitant smirk, looking at my clothing.  
It was only a small white dress that was loose against my body, but failed to hide my curves. Even though it was torn at the ends slightly and wasn't the whitest of white, it was they best I had. I topped it off with a straw hat that kept pricking my scalp and green-strapped sandals with a brown bottom. Probably kids from different countries actually wore a flaming hot dress with bobbled curls that bounced when you walked and inky black stilettos.  
"Happy birthday, Sakura-chan." Hinata murmured timidly with a smile.  
"Yeah, happy birthday." Shikamaru smirked, hands shoved in his pockets.  
"Congratulations, Sakura." Neji Hyuuga said in a thoughtful mood (like always).  
"Thank you," I acknowledged, "what should we get to eat?"  
"Maybe Toku's Rice and Curry..." Naruto shot his head at the building we were behind.  
"Yes his food isn't..." Neji trailer off.  
"Insipid." I finished for him.  
"Well, I have 18 cents because I sold rice cakes."  
"But we said on our birthdays we don't pay." Kiba said.  
"This is extra. I'm doing a favor." I said.  
"I have six cents from looking around." Naruto said.  
"Naruto, everyone is so famished here you wouldn't even find a crumb." Shikamaru said.  
"It was worth it."  
"Um, I have one dollar from selling bracelets." Hinata pulled out many nickels and dimes, and one quarter.  
"You found a quarter?!" Naruto leaned in to get a closer look.  
"Mhm,"she smiled at his excitement, "I earned it." Hinata said humbly.  
"I would keep that if I were you." Shikamaru said.  
"It's fine. It's for Sakura."  
"I have 27 cents from teaching students." Shikamaru lamely put his nickels and pennies in the pile.  
"11 cents from working in the deli for three weeks. It was worth it." Kiba muttered, itching his nose.  
"Neji, your turn." Naruto wrinkled his nose in disgust, but it quickly went away.  
Neji stayed quiet, looking down at the pile of money. I wouldn't expect someone like him to waste his money on me. He saw himself as a grown man even though he was 15 and I 14.  
"You didn't make any money for these past months?" Naruto glowered at him.  
"I did." Neji countered.  
"What are you waiting for?" Naruto glanced at the pile and back at Neji.  
"Naruto, stop. Neji doesn't have to donate if he doesn't want to. Besides I put in a-"  
"No, that's not fair! Neji-"  
"56 cents from helping with a child birth." Neji inhaled loudly when he finished to calm himself.  
"Wow, Neji, you know how to deliver childbirths?" I asked, astonished.  
His face lit up crookedly, his frown fading. "It was a spur-in-the-moment thing, but I've done good enough."  
Kiba snorted. "Sakura, don't give this guy all the attention. Remember I delivered Akamaru's girl's babies." Kiba frowned at Neji the whole time he said that.  
We walked down the hollow streets. It felt liking strolling through a void we cannot flee from. The fat clouds that hovered over us were filled with murky rain that made this place more somber than it is.  
"Is the place we're going to have noodles, Neji?" I said, slowing my fast pace to amble beside him.  
He was looking down at my feet in his for some reason I could comprehend. "Yes. Their curry is actually the most expensive thing on the menu. It's a dollar. He gives bread and butter free to me. Sometimes he throws in a potato."  
"I wish I had that satiety, Neji."  
"Satiety?" He asked with a terse tone.  
"It means to be satisfied or replenished. I haven't been replenished in weeks."  
For just a small second, I saw a sorrowful look in his eye when he glanced at me.  
"This must be it. We can finally have a full meal." Naruto said. His eyes contained a more comatose look to it than before, but was filled with relief.  
We approached the vendor, already smelling his spicy chicken that was zestful and fiery. His sticky rice was a mixture of fluffy clouds but a viscous texture. When he tasted some of his noodles,they were all plump and ivory with a glazed coating of honey. His slurping wasn't helping either. Our tummies shouted and grumbled in torture as we watched him handle his food.  
When he was done relishing and experiencing his godly cooking, he turned to us swiftly with a toothless grin and a freckly crow's eye. His gray apron had big juicy letters of 'Kiss the Chef' on it, following by it was a kiss by plump lips coated in glistening lipstick. The apron he wore was obviously a size it two bigger than him. I'm guess he is trying to obscure his massive potbelly. Sadly, he failed.  
"How do you do, Neji? I see you brung some buddies wit' ya." He turned back around to continue mincing. Hinata set the money on the counter gingerly.  
"What could we get with this?" Shikamaru asked, his arms resting on the counter.  
The large man strides over with a thoughtful stare. "Let me cook up some beef n' noodles, rice n' curry, and I'll through in a few biscuits. Done deal?"  
"Sure," I said distantly with a turn on my heel, "thanks."  
I paced around, grabbing Neji's sleeve that he could follow me. He glared at me, but I acted like I didn't see it. I've decided to talk about something intriguing to keep his attention.  
"Have you heard of the wagon?"  
"The wagon?" He asked with a seething tone.  
"Yes. It comes through the south of Konoha and through here when children are around." I leaned into his ear, "I heard that's where our friends are. Like TenTen."  
"TenTen isn't-she couldn't have. What is this wagon you speak of? When does it come?!"  
"Neji, I don't know. Shikamaru knows about it. He's seen it before. It's large enough to fit ten people in uncomfortably. Some say it moves on it's on without a horse and will stop in your view if your looking out your window. If it sees you, it'll follow you slowly. Then finds a way to snatch you up." I whispered.  
"Where was TenTen when you last saw her?"  
"That's what I'm worried about. She was outside late at night the day she went missing."  
"I believe it only takes girls, too." I informed.  
The thoughts of this was making me feel ominous. Like it was watching right now. Right here. In fear, I gripped Neji's sleeves. He seemed tense and anxious, his head lowered to hide his emotion. Just speaking of this made us both unsettled and scared, especially me. Maybe they do take boys.  
"Maybe I should go on the wagon to get TenTen back." I said aloud, my arms hugged painfully on my breasts.  
"What?" Kiba harked my words, a distraught look on his face. His fingers around the plastic bag of hot meals was tingling.  
"Nothing! It was just a thought. Let's go eat."

"Any new on that fake legend, Shikamaru?"  
"It wouldn't say fake, just not supported. No, I haven't. It seems to only come one day of the week."  
"Like, today?" Naruto asked.  
"No, just Wednesdays and Thursdays."  
"Did it come yesterday on Wednesday?"  
"No." Shikamaru shivered, looking down at his food.  
"Ohh...we should leave quickly then." Hinata said quietly.  
"It's already sunset..." Neji pointed out, chewing slowly.  
"Sakura, Hinata! Don't worry! After we finish we'll-" Naruto attempted to say.  
"Achoo!" Kiba sneezed aloud.  
"Bless you. Don't wor-"  
"Achoo!"  
"Bless y-"  
"Achoo!" Kiba sneezed once again...  
"Damn it, what the hell is wrong with you?" Naruto asked, obviously fuming.  
"Cats," Kiba said irratably, raising his voice, "I hate them. They make my nose bleed if I'm by them for too long."  
"Sakura and Hinata, don't worry! We'll," He looked over to Kina skeptically, "get home safely."  
"I hope so." I muttered beneath my breath.  
In silence we enjoyed the food. We slurped the fat noddles and smack the juicy meat between our lips until our plastic plates were licked clean.  
"Is Ino okay?" I asked desperately. Shikamaru shuddered in sadness.  
"She's weaker than before. The AIDs is just eating her inside slowly before it stops her heart. Ino is having three heart attacks every week. She's dying." He croaked the word out like it killed him.  
"Oh...and Rock Lee?" I turned to Neji.  
"Rock Lee escaped here, cutting off all his hair." Neji said with a somber attitude.  
"About the wagon," Shikamaru looked up to see everyone's eyes on each other.  
"It's fake. It isn't real." Neji said with his usual tone.  
"You can't be so sure, Nii-San."  
"Of course I can. I'm right. How could you believe something you've never seen?"  
Shikamaru and I's eyes narrowed in exasperation. We both exchanged looks, wondering if he was an atheist. It was something we don't tolerate.  
"Neji-san, it's a danger for Sakura and I. It's important for us to know."  
"Hinata, be quiet. Do you both think your destined for such things. You cannot change who you are, but this can't be it. You're part of the Hyuuga family. We may be the only ones over here that have a civilized family, yet you accept this opposing comeuppance? That's disgraceful." Neji suddenly had a change in attitude.  
"Don't talk to Hinata like that! Yes, some of us don't have a family, but don't rub it in our face! You're a disgrace! Hyuugas aren't prideful! I know because of how humble a Hinata and her father is!And quit speaking of fate! You aren't God! You cannot tell someone's fate! It isn't your damn business! Leave her alone!" Naruto was shouting at the top of her lungs, telling him off. It was actually hilarious in a way but true. Neji stood to his full height, a few inches ahead of Naruto. Naruto had let go of Neji's collar but stood in his place.  
"Naruto, you know nothing about my family. How about you think before telling me off. Think of who's more powerful in mind and body. Me."  
"Naruto and Neji. Please stop." Hinata pleaded, tugging on Neji's shirt.  
"How troublesome. Could you guys just sit down?"  
Naruto shoved Neji, but Neji held his ground. Naruto dashed en route to Neji, but Neji easily eluded him. Kiba and Shikamaru held the two boys back, Hinata wearing a worried face.  
"Naruto..."  
"Let boys be boys." I said.  
"We should start getting home." Kiba sniffed.  
"Humph, bye." Naruto shuffled away from the group.  
"I'll see you all some other time. Come on, Hinata."  
"Hai. Good-bye."  
"I'll go ahead alone, my place isn't far from birthday, Sakura." Shikamaru paced away quickly.  
"Just us." Kiba said.  
A small creaking interrupted our small talk. It was nighttime and the world drained of its color. I shivered, the creaking continuing. The dress bared my back and had a halter top appereance, which I hated. I hated how my back is out. Something could it's dirty fingers on it, or lash a sword across it so that my skin will forever be blemished. My eyes darted down the dark roads. The creaking continued. I looked to my right to the far road. The wagon.


End file.
